The contestants that made it to the second round get another text with GPS coordinates and the picture of the next opponent. The time is short, possibly 15-20 minutes after the first fight has taken place. As for the coordinates, it highlights an abandoned electrical substation for the district that is surrounded by a concrete wall.
The stakes appear to have been raised, as this area still has the occasional live feed of electricity going through naked wires. Even squatters know better than to set up shop here. Every meter or so is a substation tower, possibly a meter wide, that holds up the wires from hitting the ground. Some dangle down. Most of the spectators are sitting on the wall, waiting for the opponents to hop inside this man-made arena for the action.
«Plot» AdamLOG says, "Environmental Effects: Being staggered, thrown, knocked down, or otherwise 'moved' against where you can control your footing has the potential to be electrified. Pay close attention to these effects when in combat."
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Hardy (#4993) rolls Intelligence vs TN 4 (to AdamLOG) for "Perception no mods":
3 4 4 5 = 3 Successes
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Nanashi (#5684) rolls Stealth (to AdamLOG) for "Ruthenium active, moving into the area that seems designated for the fight. Mouse will sit on the wall with the other spectators, hopefully his disguise will throw Viktor off.":
2 3 3 3 4 5 7 7
«Plot-Page» (To: Hardy) AdamLOG says, "You do not see your opponent."
The fuss from the earlier fight has died down some and it's given Nanashi a little time to rethink his stance. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but it was beyond foolish to underestimate the opponents. He quietly thinks over the new address and informs his companion, and the two reenter the old van and drive away. A substation? Interesting. A single man steps out of the van once it is parked, and he slowly moves to the wall where the other spectators are. He tries to jostle for a view of the impending battle.
Viktor wakes up underneath a pile of shelves and trash. "What the…" thrashing, Viktor pulls himself out. His Poc-Sec beeps with a message. "Shit!" Viktor hops to his feet and barrels out of the old Wal-Mart, his head throbbing with intense pain.
Twenty minutes later, Viktor is hunched over outside the power substation, breathing hard. His eyes open wide when he sees the perilous nature of this 'arena.' "No…way…" Viktor winces as a particularly awful wave of pain stabs into his brain. Viktor snorts, "Whatever. If this place doesn't kill me, Ares will." Double timing it down to the arena, he drops down into the fighting area. His hands on his hips, he looks around for his second, and in all likelihood last, opponent.
As the contestants arrive— there is a local broadcast channel that is opened up for betting. Right now it looks like the betting is at 1:1 due to the whackness of the last couple fights. At the very top of the channel is a marque that scrolls text saying the following: Criticalfault's Fixing services - For when you need just the right item to put the Fault right in your opponents Critical!
Given the iconic and audial nature of the dystopian future, a little icon also speaks it to those with ear buds (or speakers) in a multitude of languages.
The old asian-looking man settles into position on the wall. His legs dangle over the edge as he peers into the pit with a curious but for some reason terrified expression. He appears to be searching for something.
Viktor moves out into the pit, not entirely sure who it is he's here to fight. He catches small legs dangling…"Miyagi?" he mouths.
«Plot-Page» (To: Nanashi) AdamLOG says, "Roll me another Stealth and sure."
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Nanashi (#5684) rolls Stealth (to AdamLOG):
1 2 2 2 4 5 9 9
«Plot-Page» (To: Viktor) AdamLOG says, "Give me two perception rolls and let me know what mods you have."
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Intelligence (to AdamLOG) for "No mods":
1 2 2 2 4 4
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Intelligence (to AdamLOG) for "No mods":
1 2 2 2 3 3
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Intelligence (to AdamLOG) for "No mods 2 KP 1/12":
1 3 3 4 5 9
«Plot-Page» (To: Viktor) AdamLOG says, "Just Mr.Miyagi up there. :P"
«Plot-Page» (To: AdamLOG) Viktor says, "Ok."
«Plot-Page» (To: Nanashi) AdamLOG says, "Go ahead and roll your melee without CP."
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Nanashi (#5684) rolls Cyber-Implant Combat (Cyberspurs) vs TN 4 (to AdamLOG):
2 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 10 10 = 8 Successes
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Nanashi (#5684) rolls Cyber-Implant Combat (Cyberspurs) - 8 vs TN 4 (to AdamLOG) for "Karma, 1 used.":
1 4 4 4 = 3 Successes
From afar, Nanashi will stand on that.
«Plot-Page» (To: Nanashi) AdamLOG says, "Base Dam on your spurs?"
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Nanashi (#5684) has the Attribute Strength with the value '6 (11)' (only to AdamLOG).
Nanashi pages: Dikoted, so 12s.
«Plot» AdamLOG says, "Viktor soak a 17D attack, Impact reduces the power."
Nanashi pages: If the attack hits I've got a venom sac with gamma scopolamine in it.
«Plot» Viktor says, "Sheesh! No reaction? No dodge?! No love?"
«Plot» AdamLOG says, "Nada. You dont even see it coming."
«Plot» Viktor says, "But…but…combat sense?"
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) has the Active Skill Armor B/R with the value '0'.
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) has the Armor Rating Impact with the value '0 (4)'.
«Plot» AdamLOG says, "Ok. Tell you what. Roll for surprise at TN 6."
«Plot» AdamLOG says, "Nanashi roll for surprise TN 2."
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Nanashi (#5684) rolls Reaction vs TN 2 (to AdamLOG):
1 1 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 5 = 8 Successes
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Reaction + Combat Pool: 12 vs TN 6 for "Miyagi, you sly devil!":
1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 9 10 11 15 = 4 Successes
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Reaction + Combat Pool: 12 - 4 vs TN 6 for "Miyagi, you sly devil! KP 2/12":
1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 5 5 7 9 = 2 Successes
«Plot» Viktor at least got a chance to roll something. "So be it."
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Body vs TN 13 for "Night Vik - it's time to go to sleep anyway.":
1 1 4 5 5 = 0 Successes
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Body vs TN 13 for "Night Vik - it's time to go to sleep anyway. KP 3/12":
1 1 2 3 7 = 0 Successes
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Body vs TN 13 for "Night Vik - it's time to go to sleep anyway. KP 5/12":
1 3 9 10 11 = 0 Successes
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Body vs TN 13 for "Night Vik - it's time to go to sleep anyway. KP 8/12 "I got this, no really."":
1 1 2 4 4 = 0 Successes
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Body vs TN 13 for "Night Vik - it's time to go to sleep anyway. KP 4/12 "Seriously, watch, all 5 13's."":
1 1 3 4 4 = 0 Successes
Heartbeats pass. The man sitting on the wall looks at Viktor and makes direct eye contact. Instead of the warm glow of a kind old man, there's the outright terror of someone who has no idea what they're doing there.
There's a small shimmer in the air behind Viktor, illuminated by the crackling discharge of the nearby transformers. Something appears in the air… a tiny cloud of wires neatly darting from the shimmer and assembling quickly into a matte blade. Posessed with a mind of its own, the blade raises and pushes forward with surgical precision and horrible speed. Its target? The back of Viktor's neck, perfectly between two vertebrae.
(For lack of anything better…) BLARGGGHGHHHH
Given where everything is— the medical staff has to wait for Viktor to be pronounced the loser of the fight. This is done rather quickly as the betting channels close and Mouse gets the next text about advancing to the next round. Afterwards Viktor is levitated out for medical support.
«Auto-Judge[TRUE]» Viktor (#1471) rolls Body vs TN 4:
1 3 4 4 8 = 3 Successes
«Plot» AdamLOG says, "No long-last damage. No Magic Loss. Trauma Surgery and F6 Heal went on without a hitch."
Viktor's legs and arms go completely limp. If he could feel it, he'd feel warm urine staining his fatigues as he loses control of his bladder and everything below the neck. He swears, he can feel the cold steel emerge from his spine and pierce his trachea…then the elf's brain mercifully goes to sleep and the elf falls like a sack of bones to the ground, never understanding what had happened to him.
Spectators are stunned into silence. All eyes are on the fallen elf, allowing small, brown shape to take a leap off the wall and scurry toward Viktor. It's a cat. A mangy, fat tabby cat. It leaps onto Viktor's back, the furr on its back up on end and its ears back. Viktor couldn't see his assassin, but the cat looks straight at him and hisses, arching its back.
With a quiet sizzling noise, the what was a shimmer in the air becomes less so. Featureless grey draws itself into the foreground as the ruthenium deactivates sequentially, revealing a smooth and alien figure that appears to be a suit of armor. It raises one hand, which has the long blade splitting from the tip of two fingers. It flicks its wrist and sends a small splatter of blood to the ground, cleaning the blade. The sharp edge splits back apart into wires that wave about like hungry tentacles before disappearing back into the suit.
Inside his armor, Nanashi frowns a little while looking down at the pair of cat and injured man. This is a solid reminder of why he doesn't participate in these things - there's nothing to prove and it always ends up with people he knows getting hurt. The old man kneels down and gently nudges the cat aside so he can gauge the damage inflicted. The mages had best do a good job, he'll be following up on them.
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